Eagles lose to Raiders in game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicates, 33 to 22

The Birds are bad.

The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-5 after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. Final score: 33 to 22.

This game wasn’t nearly as close as an 11-point deficit might make it out to be. The Eagles were effectively blown out in this one before putting up some garbage time production yet again.

All told, it was an embarrassing showing from an Eagles team that had extra rest and some matchups in their favor (on paper, at least) entering this game. I mean, the Raiders were unexpectedly playing without their best player (Darren Waller) and still whooped the Eagles. Derek Carr completed 91.2% — FREAKING 92.1% — of his attempts for 323 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a 113.6 passer rating. Jonathan Gannon’s defense basically allowed the Raiders to do whatever they want. Outside of their opening drive, Nick Sirianni’s offense was ineffective as ever when it actually counted.

This team stinks. They’re playing like one of the worst teams in the NFL. It’s not a guarantee they’ll beat the winless Detroit Lions on the road next weekend.

Read on for a recap and stay tuned for BGN’s postgame coverage.

FIRST QUARTER

• The Eagles got the ball first. Jalen Hurts’ first pass was a short attempt to DeVonta Smith, who dropped it. Bad omen? No! The Eagles actually ran the football! With Miles Sanders! From under center! And not just foofy RPOs! Hurts had a nice touch throw to an open Dallas Goedert to move Philly into Raiders territory. The Eagles entered the red zone and Hurts hit an open Kenneth Gainwell on an angle route for an easy catch-and-run touchdown! Great opening drive. EAGLES 7, RAIDERS 0.

• The Raiders to got to a 3rd-and-4 and Avonte Maddox tackled Jalen Richard short of the sticks to force a punt. Except the Raiders were called for holding and Nick Sirianni ACCEPTED the penalty to bring up 3rd-and-15 instead of 4th-and-3. And it’s not like the Raiders were going to go for it because they had brought their punt team out. Naturally, Derek Carr hit Zay Jones deep down the field for a 43-yard gain.

The Raiders moved down 3rd-and-5 from the 9-yard line … and Carr’s errant pass for Richard went off the target’s hands and into the arms of Avonte Maddox for the pick! Javon Hargrave pressured Carr into the mistake. Sirianni got bailed out.

• The Eagles ran a screen to Sanders and it resulted in a loss and Sanders getting hurt. Not good! Hurts almost threw a pick on a play where his hand was hit as he was throwing. Then Hurts threw an attempted screen pass right into Yannick Ngakoue on third down to bring up a punt. It was 3rd-and-13. Ah, the return of the bad offense that everyone missed so much.

SECOND QUARTER

• The Raiders took advantage of the Eagles’ punt by going 72 yards in nine plays. The Birds got gashed on the ground by the league’s efficient attack. Carr also moved the ball with relative ease, capping off the drive with a 18-yard touchdown throw to Darren Waller. Oh, wait, Waller was out … so that actually his backup, Foster Moreau, who had the contested catch instead. Moreau Moss’d Marcus Epps. EAGLES 7, RAIDERS 7.
• It looked like DeVonta Smith dropped a pass (his third already) but the throw was behind him. Sure would be nice to see Hurts hit him over the middle in stride.

The Eagles got to 4th-and-1 and Sirianni correctly decided to be aggressive and go for it. The Eagles converted with a Hurts sneak. The Eagles had another conversion with Hurts rolling right under pressure and floating a ball to Smith, who made a toe-tapping sideline catch. Excellent. The Eagles got to 3rd-and-3 and Landon Dickeson’s false start knocked the ball back to 3rd-and-8. And then Hurts was sacked at midfield. Ngakoue badly beat Jordan Mailata off the ball to force a punt. So much for the offensive line being the Eagles’ strength.

• The Raiders went 96 yards in 10 plays for their second touchdown. It was just too easy for Derek Carr to take advantage of what was given to him. Where is the creativity from Jonathan Gannon? It’s just so simple for the opposing offense. EAGLES 7, RAIDERS 14.
• The Eagles got the ball back and Gainwell immediately fumbled for a Raiders recovery. Just great. The play went under review and it looked like Gainwell may have been down … but the evidence wasn’t conclusive enough for the refs to overturn the call. Disaster.
• The Raiders took over at Eagles’ 29-yard line. Carr’s completion streak ended at 16 after Josh Sweat forced him into an incompletion. The Raiders settled for a 28-yard field goal make. EAGLES 7, RAIDERS 17.
• The Eagles took a knee to end the first half.

THIRD QUARTER

• The Eagles went with a surprise onside kick to start the second half. The Raiders recovered it. People will be crushing that decision but it was a good and gutsy call, just didn’t have the execution. Wasn’t insanely far off from an Eagles recovery with a more favorable bounce. And it’s not like the Eagles’ defense can be trusted to stop a long drive anyway. On that note, the Eagles allowed the Raiders to go 41 yards in six plays for yet another Las Vegas touchdown. Philly’s expensive defensive line was bullied by a Raiders offensive line missing multiple starters. Three possession game. EAGLES 7, RAIDERS 24.

• After having forever to throw, Hurts slid short of a first down that he could’ve made. The Eagles got a delay of game penalty (that wiped out a botched snap and sack) to get set back to 3rd-and-8. Hurts got sacked and Kelce committed an unnecessary roughness penalty to bring up 4th-and-21 and a punt. Disastrous.
• The Raiders went 50 yards in seven plays for yet. another. touchdown. But, hey, they missed the extra point! EAGLES 7, RAIDERS 30.
• Aided by some Raiders penalties, the Eagles drove to the Raiders’ 28-yard line. Hurts threw an ugly pass to an open Gainwell to bring up 4th-and-10. Hurts converted to Goedert to set up 1st-and-goal from the 7-yard line. A Gainwell run took it to the 1-yard line. Hurts then got stuffed on a sneak attempt to bring up third down. On 3rd-and-goal, Jack Driscoll somehow got his hand on a shotgun snap to Hurts to make it harder for the quarterback to handle. Still could’ve caught it, though. Instead, the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Raiders. Yet another disaster.

• The Raiders went three-and-out for the first time all game with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter. Finally, a Raiders punt! Amazing!

FOURTH QUARTER

• The Eagles went 58 yards in seven plays for their second touchdown. It could’ve come a bit sooner if Hurts tried to run for a touchdown instead of just going out of bounds. The offense seems to come alive after the other team takes a commanding lead, huh? Two possession game with 11:38 to play. EAGLES 14, RAIDERS 30.

• The Raiders answered the Eagles’ second scoring drive with another one of their own. Las Vegas moved into field goal range with help from a 29-yard reception by their fullback, proving almost anyone can get open against this defense. Davion Taylor was beat on that play. The Raiders kicked a 39-yard field to make it a three score game again with 7:17 to play. EAGLES 14, RAIDERS 33.

• Hurts aired it out deep to an open Quez Watkins but it was overthrown with pressure bearing down on him. The Eagles methodically moved down the field into the red zone. Hurts floated a ball to Jalen Reagor, who made a good contested catch and took advantage of Raiders defenders running into each other to jog into the end zone. Another garbage time TD. The Eagles went for two and Hurts hit an open Goedert for the successful try. EAGLES 22, RAIDERS 33.

• The Eagles tried another onside kick but the Raiders recovered. Las Vegas played it conservative before punting.
• The Eagles took over down 11 at their own 9-yard line with 2:06 left and no timeouts. They got to their own 34-yard line before Hurts threw it up to no one on fourth down.
• The Raiders took a knee to end the game.

INJURIES

• Miles Sanders (ankle) got hurt on an ineffective screen play late in the first quarter. He was carted off the field and didn’t return. He had a towel on his head and looked upset as he was being taken off. Not the most encouraging sign.
• J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (back) and Hassan Ridgeway got banged up in the third quarter. JJAW didn’t return.
• Lane Johnson left the game late in the fourth quarter. Jordan Mailata moved to right tackle with Andre Dillard coming back in at left tackle.